Two chest pocket t-shirt

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a two chest pocket t-shirt having a front, a back, sleeves and a neckband. Reinforced left and right chest pockets made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric stretch to accommodate pocket contents but return to their original shape on removal of the pocket contents. The top edge of each chest pocket is further reinforced to permit limited stretching of the top edge and inhibit loss of pocket contents from the chest pocket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Priority is hereby claimed to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/765,095, filed Feb. 3, 2006 for a Two Chest Pocket T-Shirt. This invention relates to a shirt and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a two chest pocket t-shirt for use by workmen who need to carry papers, small notebooks, pens, small tools, and other gadgets needed to perform workplace tasks. The pockets of applicant's invention are designed to retain objects contained within the pockets during normal use.

2. Discussion

Workmen often need to have small tools, gadgets, and papers available to perform their assigned tasks. Until now, the only options available were work shirts, usually made of denim or other heavy fabric, or the use of some type of tool belt. Some heavy duty work shirts include two chest pockets, and the chest pockets sometimes include button-down flaps. While providing a convenient pockets for storage of small tools, gadgets, and papers, the heavy duty work shirts are often unsuitable for use warm environments such as hot manufacturing areas and the desert southwest during summer months. Moreover, the heavy duty work shirts are uncomfortable as compared to traditional short-sleeved t-shirts.

Traditional short-sleeved t-shirts, while comfortable and lightweight, may or may not include a single chest pocket, but any chest pocket is not suitable for carrying the tools, gadgets, and papers normally used by workmen.

The two chest pocket t-shirt of the present invention, made of ribbed polyester-cotton fabric, provides the comfort of a traditional short-sleeved t-shirt with two chest pockets suitable for carrying workmen's tools, gadgets, and papers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a two chest pocket t-shirt having a front, a back, sleeves and a neckband. Reinforced left and right chest pockets made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric stretch to accommodate pocket contents but return to their original shape on removal of the pocket contents. The top edge of each chest pocket is further reinforced to permit limited stretching of the top edge and inhibit loss of pocket contents from the chest pocket.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shirt having the comfort of a traditional short-sleeved t-shirt with chest pockets suitable for holding small tools, gadgets, and supplies commonly used by workmen.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a t-shirt with chest pockets which stretch to accommodate pocket contents but return to their shape when the pocket contents are removed.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become clearfrom the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the two chest pocket t-shirt according to applicant's invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the two chest pocket t-shirt shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a step-by-step diagram detailing the process of manufacture for each chest pocket of applicant's two chest pocket t-shirt shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view of one of the chest pockets of applicant's two chest pocket t-shirt.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail of an upper corner of one of the chest pockets of applicant's two chest pocket t-shirt.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail, partially cut away, of another two chest pocket t-shirt according to applicant's invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of applicant's two chest pocket t-shirt shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description of the invention, like numerals and characters designate like elements throughout the figures of the drawings.

Referring generally to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a two chest pocket t-shirt 10 according to applicant's invention has a front 12, a back 14, a left sleeve 16, a right sleeve 18, a neck opening 20, a front chest portion 22, a left chest pocket 24, a right chest pocket 26, and a neck band 28. The front 12, the back 14, the sleeves 16, and the neckband 28 are sewn together by well-known and traditional sewing techniques. The pockets 24, 26 are assembled separately and attached to the chest portion 22 of the front 12, in the style of an applique, for the reasons explained in detail hereinafter.

Referring now to FIG. 3, shown therein are the steps required to fabricate the pockets 24, 26. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the left pocket 24 and the right pocket 26 are of identical construction and interchangeable. A pocket piece 30 is folded along a center line 32 as shown in FIG. 3, Steps 1-3 and sewn, right sides together, in seams (not shown) adjacent edges 34, 36 to create a double-walled pocket panel 38 having an open end 40. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the double-walled pocket panel can also be created by sewing on three sides, rights sides together, two separate identical pieces of fabric.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the edge portions 42, 44 of the double-walled pocket panel 38 are folded over as illustrated in Step 3 to create reinforced edge portions 46, 48 (See FIG. 3, Steps 7-9). The reinforced edge portions 46, 48 consist of 4 layers of pocket piece 30 fabric, i.e., double-walled edge portions 42, 44 folded each on itself.

Still referring to FIG. 3, Steps 4-8, a pocket top piece 50 has opposing long edges 52, 54 and opposing short edges 56, 58. One short edge 54 is folded under to create a double thickness portion 60. The remaining pocket top piece 50 is oriented in an inverted U-shape as shown in Step 5 and placed over the open end 40 of the double-walled pocket panel 38. End portions 62, 64 of the pocket top piece 50 extend outwardly beyond the reinforced edge portions 46, 48, respectively, of the double-walled pocket panel 38. In Step 8, the end portions 62, 64 are folded around the reinforced edge portions 46, 48 adjacent the open end 40 of the double-walled pocket panel 38 to form the pocket 24/26 shown in FIG. 3, Step 9, and double-stitched in place along double-stitching lines 66. The double-walled pocket panel 38 is sewn to the chest portion 22 of the front 12 using double-stitching lines 68, 70, 72 along the reinforced edge portions 46, 48 and adjacent the center line fold 32, all as shown in Step 9.

Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that the sleeve 16, the sleeve 18, the front 12, and the back 14 are hemmed to complete the process of making the two chest pocket t-shirt 10.

Although the two chest pocket t-shirt 10 according to applicant's invention can be made of any typical t-shirt fabric, a ribbed polyester-cotton blend is preferred. The ribbed polyester-cotton blend stretches slightly to accommodate the weight and volume of items placed in the chest pockets but returns to its normal shape when the pocket contents are removed. Optionally, the neckband 28 can be made from the same ribbed polyester-cotton fabric, thereby increasing durability.

Referring now to FIG. 4, applicant's two chest pocket t-shirt 10, partially cut away, has bulges 76 in the pocket 24/26 caused by pocket contents. The double-walled pocket panel 38 stretches to accommodate the pocket contents, including a pen P. Yet the open edge 78 of the pocket 24/26 resists stretching, thereby reducing the likelihood of loss of pocket contents, as a result of the attachment of the pocket top piece 50.

In FIG. 5, a greatly enlarged detail shows the ribbed polyester-cotton fabric 80, a portion of the pocket top piece 50, and the double-stitching lines 66 across the top of the pocket 24/26.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-7, another two chest pocket t-shirt 110 according to applicant's invention has a chest pocket 124/126. Instead of a pocket top piece 50, as shown in FIGS. 1-5, a lightweight elastic piece 82 across the top 84 of the chest pocket 124/126 helps to keep the chest pocket 124/126 closed to prevent loss of pocket contents.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

1. A two chest pocket t-shirt, comprising: a front; a back attached to the front; a left chest pocket; a right chest pocket; wherein each chest pocket further comprises: a double-walled pocket panel characterized as having two side edges, a bottom edge, and a top edge; wherein each of the two side edges is folded over onto itself to create reinforced side edges; a pocket top piece enveloping the top edge of the double-walled panel and having pocket top piece end portions wrapped around the top side edges of the double-walled pocket panel and attached to the top edge of the double-walled pocket panel by double stitching; and wherein each chest pocket is attached to the shirt front by double stitching along each reinforced side edge and across the bottom edge.
 2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising sleeves attached to the front and back.
 3. The invention of claim 1, wherein each chest pocket is made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric.
 4. The invention of claim 2, wherein each chest pocket is made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric.
 5. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a neckband attached to the front and back.
 6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the neckband is made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric.
 7. A two chest pocket t-shirt, comprising: a front; a back attached to the front; a left chest pocket; a right chest pocket; wherein each chest pocket further comprises: a double-walled pocket panel characterized as having two side edges, a bottom edge, and a top edge; wherein each of the two side edges is folded over onto itself to create reinforced side edges; an elastic strip secured between the two walls of the double-walled panel at the top edge of the double-walled panel by double stitching; and wherein each chest pocket is attached to the shirt front by double stitching along each reinforced side edge and across the bottom edge.
 8. The invention of claim 1, further comprising sleeves attached to the front and back.
 9. The invention of claim 1, wherein each chest pocket is made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric.
 10. The invention of claim 2, wherein each chest pocket is made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric.
 11. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a neckband attached to the front and back.
 12. The invention of claim 5, wherein the neckband is made from ribbed polyester-cotton fabric. 